Danny mulled this over as he tried to rest. The fate of the world was now in his hands. He knew that Vlad would betray them during the attack. He knew that while Shade was powerful he didn't have the experience that was needed.
This left everything squarely in Danny's young hands.
He phased out of the Spectre Speeder. You could see his mind working as he looked at the ghostly sky overhead. The whirling green energy never dimmed or changed. As long as Phantameria remained so would the sky remain unchanging.
"You okay Danny?"
He looked over his shoulder to see his sister staring at him. "I'll be fine, I just can't get to sleep."
"I see, thinking about anything special?" Jazz came and sat next to him on the roof of the vehicle.
"Nothing's been able to stop it. If we don't, then we're all doomed. Mom, Dad, you, Tucker, Sam, everyone. How am I supposed to feel?"
Jazz chuckled. "Everyone's doomed anyway."
"Uh, aren't you supposed to be making me feel better?"
"No race lives forever. If it is time, then it is time. But for humans it is only the beginning. Your story has just begun young phantom."
Danny looked at his sister strangely. "Jazz, are you feeling okay?"
Jazz's appearance began to shift and alter. Before Danny stood a middle-aged man. His hair hung loose, framing his rather plain face.
"I am not your sister young phantom. I am an Avatar of Fate. As I have said, no race may live forever. But your race is a long way from perishing. You will live, and your story shall continue. You will not remember this visit, but remember these words. We choose our own destiny. When you are in greatest need, remember those you fight for. They shall give you the strength to carry on."
The figure began to dissolve.
Danny blinked his eyes. "What happened?" Danny shook his head.
As he had been told, he retained no memory of the meeting.
Morning
The council chamber once again was occupied by the same people that were there before. "Our forces have been growing stronger with each hour. Soon the forces of the entire realm shall be at our disposal. Once the army has intercepted the tentacles we will engage them, this will give you enough time to fight the entity that is sucking life from our world. Once you're there, you are on your own. We will not be able to follow. It is up to you. You are the only hope left for our worlds. We place our fates in your hands,"
A flicker of recognition ran through Danny's mind when he heard the word, fate. He knew that it was something important. But he could not grasp the memory.
The Spectre Speeder ran above the ghosts as though it was the symbol of this vast army. Every ghost he had ever fought was there. Ember, Spectra, Bertrand, Skulker, Technus, Desiree, Poindexter, Kitty, Johnny 13, the dragon maiden, Walker, even the Box Ghost was there. Nowhere could he see his fellow Halfas.
Shade and Vlad had disappeared.
They came into sight of the path that led the way to their enemy His heart sank as he looked on. The tentacles that had been described to him loomed over the field. In the distance you could see a vortex of swirling purple light. The only thing that lifted his spirit was finding that Vlad and Shade were already here. His parents started to aim their most powerful weaponry ahead of them. Once the army of ghosts attacked, the tentacles would be occupied with them. Then the Fentons would fire their guns and carve a path through the living weapons. Then they'd be on their own.
It would be Shade, Vlad, and Danny verses something nobody had been able to injure. He hopped out of the Speeder and walked next to the others. He remained in human form. "It's time. Let's do this." Rings formed around his body and swept over him. His raven hair turned a dazzling white. His shirt and jeans turned into a formfitting jumpsuit. His blue eyes changed to glowing green.
As one the army of ghosts attacked. Their distraction went as planned, but Danny was still not ready for the sight. Several of his enemies were being cut down by the tentacles. He watched as one of them slammed through Skulker's armor. It emerged holding a small struggling ghost. He watched as the ecto-being sapped all energy from Skulker. What was left of his form dissolved.
Suddenly a beam of light erupted from behind Danny. He saw instantly that a large section of the tentacles had been cleared away. The three Halfas immediately summoned all the energy they could spare. The tentacles moved swiftly towards them. Whenever one would come too close they would have to blast it away. This did not dissuade the mindless foe.
They moved ever closer. A tentacle wrapped itself around Danny's leg. He tried to blast it but before he could release the energy another tentacle wound itself around his arm. The tentacles continued to reach for him. Twin blasts of pink energy cut them to pieces.
Vlad looked at him with pure malice. "Those vines don't get to finish you off. I will make you pay. I swear I will get you for what you've done."
The path was littered with stray tentacles, but they made it through without another incident. They landed before the purple portal. Danny was the first to speak. "I don't like this, it's too quiet."
"Bravo, I didn't think anyone could make it through the energy vines."
As one they turned to look in the direction the voice had come from.
"I must admit, I've never run across creatures such as yourselves during my travels through the multiverse. Of course, you are so easy to miss. Such a small section of the dimension." He took a deep breath. "And yet such power. All the worlds I have devoured and none can compare with this. It is amazing that you are all so weak."
The figure stepped closer to them. They could make out a deep purple armor. His head was covered by a helm made of some unknown material. Behind the helm you could see eyes that burned from a heart of evil. "I doubt you've come this far for conversation. I suppose that you'll try to stop me from claiming the energy of this world for myself. So be it."
From his back he pulled forth the single largest sword you had ever seen. The blade was at least eight feet long, and four feet wide. It was blacker than anything Danny had ever seen. What scared Danny the most was that the man held the massive broad sword with one hand.
The figure blurred and disappeared. The next thing Danny knew, a black blade was sprouting from his side.
(A/N) Avatar of Fate: An incredibly powerful and magical being. Their existence came about as the result of a cosmic accident. Since then they have appeared to billions in as many different forms. They act on the preset patterns of the Multiverse. They do whatever is necessary to make sure that people fulfill their destinies. The things they have done range from murder to advice.
(A/N2) Feel free to use the Avatars of Fate in your own stories. The multiverse encompasses all possibities. The Avatars are everywhere. But please give me proper credit. And if you use them, please pass on this message along with giving me credit.